WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) applauded the Trump Administration’s call to reduce the restriction on Interstate tolling to, “allow the States to assess their transportation needs and weigh the relative merits of tolling assets.”

President Trump’s call to“Liberalize Tolling Policy and Allow Private Investment in Rest Areas” came today in a fact sheet accompanying the release of his FY 2018 Budget.In the fact sheet, the Administration calls for:

Liberalize Tolling Policy and Allow Private Investment in Rest Areas. Tolling is generally restricted on interstate highways. This restriction prevents public and private investment in such facilities. We should reduce this restriction and allow the States to assess their transportation needs and weigh the relative merits of tolling assets. The Administration also supports allowing the private sector to construct, operate, and maintain interstate rest areas, which are often overburden and inadequately maintained.

Patrick D. Jones, Executive Director and CEO of the International, Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) offered the following statement applauding the President and his Administration for supporting the effective and proven power of tolling as a funding source for infrastructure development:

“Today, the Trump Administration became the second straight White House to call for easing the ban on Interstate tolling and giving states the maximum flexibility needed to make the best funding decisions for their local transportation projects.

We applaud President Trump’s support and call on Congress to immediately join with the President to reduce burdensome regulations that prevent state and local governments from utilizing all available funding mechanisms. Toll financing may not be the answer for every highway, bridge, or tunnel project in the country, but the power of tolling is proven and effective.

Combined with the President’s proposed investment in infrastructure, tolling can provide valuable resources to the states to tackle transportation infrastructure projects. We look forward to working with both President Trump and Congress to meet our 21st Century transportation needs.

Thirty-five states and territories throughout the country have utilized tolling in one form or another to help pay for infrastructure development.There are currently over 5,900 miles of tolled roads throughout the United States today that generate over $13 billion in toll revenues annually and support billions of dollars of capital investmentseach year.

To speak with Patrick Jones or for more information about IBTTA, please contact Bill Cramer at bcramer@ibtta.org or 202-210-2962 (mobile) or visit www.IBTTA.org.

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About IBTTAThe International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) is the worldwide association for the owners and operators of toll facilities and the businesses that serve them. Founded in 1932, IBTTA has members in more than 20 countries on six continents. Through advocacy, thought leadership and education, members are implementing state-of-the-art, innovative user-based transportation financing solutions to address the critical infrastructure challenges of the 21st Century. For more information, visit www.ibtta.org or join us on Twitter @IBTTA or #TollRoads.